13 Mar 22
Here's a game in which my chess thinking had to shift frequently. The opening went as follows.
1990 World Open, Round 7
White: David H. Levin (FIDE 2295)
Black: Michael J. Valvo (FIDE 2385)
With Black's e6-square firmly controlled even after the f7-pawn moves, White's knight at g5 seems misplaced. So, I retrenched by 14. Nf3.
I'm not sure that the possibility of 14. f4 even occurred to me, being that this advance is seldom indicated for White against the King's Indian. On 14. f4, one possibility is 14...Bh6, threatening to win a pawn by 15...exf4 16. gxf4 Nxf4 17. Bxf4 Bxg5.
The play starting with 14. f4 Bh6 might have unfolded as in the next chess movie.
Returning to the position that would have been reached by 14. f4,
Black should instead look to obtain counterplay via the ...b5 break, as shown in the next chess movie.
After the game's 14. Nf3, 14...f5 might have led to the following continuation.
The game actually continued as depicted below.
In the position reached after 16...Rab8,
I had to decide whether to play 17. a4. The point wouldn't be to hold the b5-pawn (which could be further attacked by ...a6, intending bxa6 Rxb2 followed by later winning the a6-pawn) but to bring about the opening of the a-file. If White played a4, Black played ...a6, and there were exchanges at b5, the following pawn structure would result:
The open a-file would help mobilize White's rooks so as to pressure Black's d-pawn along the sixth rank. White's b-pawn would be on a half-open file, but it could be easily held by playing Bc3... after knights are exchanged at b5.
Consequently, I played 17. a4, and the game continued as shown below.
Black's last, 29...Qh3, threatens 30...Ng4 followed by 31...Rf1+ and 32...Qxh2 mate. If 30. Nxd6, then Rxd6! 31. Rxd6 Nxe4, and because Black has retained the bishop, 32. Rd8 would not be check. I had about three minutes in which to make my 30th move, and I played...
30. Nxe5!
Intending 30...dxe5 31. Rxf6 or 30...Nxe4 31. Nxf7 Nxc3 32. bxc3 Rb8 33. Rcb6.
30...Rb7
30...Re7 would permit 31. Rxd6.
31. Nd3
Intending to reach e6 via f4, but I overlooked Black's reply. Nonetheless, the text seems clearer than 31. Nf3 Ng4 32. Ng5 Qh5 33. Ne6 Rf7 34. Nf4 Rxf4 (on 34...Qg5, 35. h4 wins a piece) 35. gxf4 Re8 (Threatening 36...Rxe4, as 37. Qxe4 would permit mate by 37...Qxh2+ and 38...Qf2.) 36. e5 dxe5 37. fxe5 Bh6.
31...Nh5 32. Nf2
I'd had enough of Black's queen's being at h3.
32...Nxg3?!
Hoping to at least expose White's king after 33. hxg3 Qxg3+.
33. Qd3
The queen covers e2 and f1 and renews the attack on Black's knight. So,
Black resigns
(A list of the threads I've initiated at this forum is available at http://www.davidlevinchess.com/chess/RHP_my_threads.htm .)
13 Mar 22
I met Valvo once. I believe it was either a Boulder Open or Colorado Open. After a round two players were analysing their game and politely asked Valvo for input. He said he charges money for analysis and was too busy to do so. That was his best encounter of the weekend lol
I think there was talk of the CSCA(Colorado State Chess Association) permanently banning him.
15 Mar 22
@fmdavidhlevin saidThat's good to hear. Maybe he was just having a bad tournament. Seems to me Mikhail Muhlyar won it.
I often encountered Valvo at the Westfield (New Jersey) Chess Club or at tournaments. I didn't know him intimately, but we got along fine.